1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to wireless digital communication systems and methods and, more specifically, to a system and method for convergence and automatic disabling of access points in a wireless mesh network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional wireless mesh network includes a plurality of nodes, each incorporating a network interface. A given node may transmit payload data to one or more other nodes via the network interface. The node may originate the payload data or forward the payload data on behalf of a different node. Similarly, a given node may receive the payload data from a different node to be processed or forwarded by the node. The wireless mesh network may include an arbitrary number of nodes and may include certain access points, configured to bridge data communications within the mesh network to a related service system, such as a wire line or optical communications network. A given node may send payload data directly to a corresponding access point. Additionally, the node may forward payload data to the access point on behalf of one or more other nodes within the wireless mesh network. The access point collects payload data for various nodes within the wireless mesh network and forwards the payload data to the related service system through some form of system network such as a wide-area network (WAN).
A network system includes a plurality of wireless mesh networks, where each wireless mesh network may include an arbitrary number of nodes and access points. At least one access point within each wireless mesh network bridges communications for the nodes within the respective wireless mesh network. In this way, the related service system may reach any number of access points, where each access point in turn is in communication with a plurality of nodes. The number of access points and nodes in a given wireless mesh network may be fixed, with each access point configured to bridge data communications for a fixed group of nodes. The number of nodes serviced by an access point may be fixed such that the access point can receive the payload data for all corresponding nodes, even under poor communications conditions.
In some network systems, a transaction cost may be associated with transmitting payload data from one node to another node, or from one node to a corresponding access point. In addition, a transaction cost may be associated with transmitting payload data from an access point to the related service system. In at least some wireless mesh networks, the transaction cost to transmit payload data from the access point to the service system may be relatively high compared to the transaction cost to transmit payload data from one node to another node, or from one node to the corresponding access point.
One disadvantage of this approach is that, because the number of access points is fixed, the capacity of each access point may be underutilized when communications conditions are favorable. Because the number of nodes per access point is fixed at a relatively low number to accommodate poor communications conditions, a particular access point may be able to accommodate more nodes under good communications conditions but is unable to do so. Another disadvantage of this approach is that transaction costs may be higher than necessary, particularly when communications conditions are favorable. When transaction costs from the access points to the service system are relatively high, the cost per packet of payload data is also relatively high, especially where the number of nodes (and correspondingly the amount of payload data) per access point is fixed at a low value to accommodate poor communications conditions.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a more efficient technique for convergence and automatic disabling of access points in a wireless mesh network.